Data security can be considered a subfield of computer security (also called cybersecurity or IT security), which refers to the protection of computer systems. Since computer systems consist of hardware, software and data, data security refers to the protection of data from destructive forces and unwanted access by unauthorised users. This is a challenging task at both the technical and organisational levels, in which companies invest millions of dollars.  

Data security is the protection of data from destructive forces and unwanted actions by unauthorised users. Unlike a company's other IT assets, such as hardware and software, a company's data assets are usually unique, making data security of paramount importance. Since data security is a broad field, the range of options to ensure data security is quite wide. Some popular and widely used tools to ensure data security are:  

  • Authentication
  • Access control
  • Encryption